Century Village Museum welcomes participants, visitors to 2023 Civil War Encampment

People who visit Century Village Museum this weekend will get the feeling that they are walking into a momentous four-year era of the 1860s.

That’s because the historic site in Burton Village is hosting its annual Civil War Encampment on May 27 and 28.

The event is highlighted by a daily battle between Union and Confederate forces who are comprised of re-enactors. Visitors also can watch various military units conduct drills, and talk with soldiers from both sides.

Jeff Houston of Wadsworth is participating as a Confederate soldier at the 2023 Century Village event.

Houston said he has been a Civil War re-enactor for 42 years.

“I’ve just always been a history guy,” he said.

One of his fellow Confederate soldiers, Will Davis, began performing as a Civil War re-enactor four years ago.

Davis, of Van Wert, said joining a re-enactment unit has provided him with a great opportunity to learn about the Civil War.

“The history is a lot of fun,” he said. “There’s so much stuff you don’t realize about the Civil War — so many details.”

The battle at the May 27 edition of the encampment took place at 2 p.m., while the May 28 clash is slated for 1:30.

Troops for the confrontation are assembled from the lineups of many Civil War re-enacting groups who participate in the yearly event. One Confederate and one Union commander are chosen from among the re-enacting groups to lead each side during their two-day stretch on the Century Village grounds.

One area resident who visited the encampment on the morning of May 27 was John Evans of Willoughby. Evans, who has attended the event a couple of times over the years, credited all the re-enactors at the encampment for their dedication.

“The time they put into recreating all of this stuff — it’s remarkable,” he said.

Other activities on the first day of 2023 Civil War Encampment at Century Village Museum, located at 14653 East Park St., included musical performances by the Raccoon County Ramblers, Crooked River Fife and Drum, and Song Bird; a program titled “Spy Talk: Connivers in Corsets”; and speeches by re-enactors playing the roles of Jefferson Davis, who was the first and only president of the Confederate States of America; and U.S. President James Garfield.

A nearly identical schedule of events is slated for day two of the encampment, which takes place between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.